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2 ND Men, 1 Minn. Man Sentenced In Meth Case

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Federal authorities say two North Dakota men and a Minnesota man have been sentenced in a methamphetamine conspiracy case.

The U.S. District Attorney in North Dakota says 26-year-old Juan Cerna, of Moorhead, Minn., has been sentenced to 18.5 years in prison for his involvement in the transportation of methamphetamine from Texas to the Fargo-Moorhead area.

Authorities say 35-year-old Steven Schmidt and 26-year-old Brandon Elsenpeter, both of Fargo, were also part of Cerna’s organization. Authorities allege Schmidt and Elsenpeter co-conspired to obtain large amounts of marijuana in the Minneapolis area and distribute it around Fargo.

Schimidt was sentenced to five years in prison and Elsenpeter to three years of probation.

Authorities say Juan’s brother, David Cerna Jr., pleaded guilty during the trial and will be sentenced in April.